


sleep

by aelescribe



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Gen, One-Sided Relationship, i mean it's not too shippy but still
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-13
Updated: 2015-04-13
Packaged: 2018-03-22 19:01:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3740032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aelescribe/pseuds/aelescribe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An explanation on why Pearl watches Steven sleep.</p>
            </blockquote>





	sleep

Pearl knew of the concept of sleep. It was a form of regeneration for humans, who were weak and tired quickly every day. They would spend the hours of the dark in an unconscious state and replenish themselves. They replenished themselves during the day by consuming energy.

Gems weren’t built for rest. They were built to be warriors, technicians, and had a very integral role in society. The only time they would ever rest was during regeneration, or when they could regenerate no more, be turned back to their Gem forever.

She would tell this to Rose every day. Because every day Rose insisted on trying to sleep.

Pearl didn’t know why she was so fascinated with humans. They were low and mundane, hardly of any importance. They had only a fraction of the lifespan that Gems had. But Rose still cared for them, as she cared for everything in the universe. Pearl believed there was a point when her caring went too far.

Rose lay on the beach, her cotton candy curls spread across the warm sand. She breathed deep and slow, rhythmic like the lapping of the tide against the rocks. She was attempting to obtain sleep once again.

As Pearl had told Rose about the science behind sleep, Rose rebutted with her own knowledge. Humans could conjure up images in their mind. Dreams. Fantastic visions of everything imaginable. They create whatever they wanted, however fleeting it may be.

The Gem found that illogical and useless. She could conjure up holograms. She could shapeshift into other beings. She could do those ‘extraordinary’ things. Why was it so different doing those things in an unconscious state?

Still, Rose tried to sleep every day. Pearl would sit quietly with her and watch as she rested, trying to attain the impossible. She seemed to revert to a semi regenerative state in which she was still for hours. Whether it was actually sleeping or not, Pearl knew not. Despite all her reservations, she would stay with Rose for those few hours, finding an odd sense of solace in the exercise.

She stared at the bliss on her face for a while, drawn to the happiness there. She didn’t mind watching Rose, and Rose didn’t mind being watched. There were no secrets between them. But still in secret, Pearl admitted to herself that she wouldn’t mind if she had to stare at Rose for the rest of her life. Rose’s eyes suddenly opened. She blinked her heavy lashes and turned to her gaze to Pearl, who flushed at being caught staring.

The pink Gem smiled and sat up, brushing the sand from her hair. “What did you dream about?” asked the confidant.

“Peace,” Rose replied, as she did every time Pearl asked. She didn’t need to be asleep to dream of that. The wish for peace consumed her actions and thoughts always. “Pearl, what would you dream of? Forget the logic. If you could dream, what would it be about?” The beach was beautiful, the waves were soft, the sky was tinted pink. Just like her.

“Nothing,” Pearl replied. “I have everything I could ever dream of right here.”


End file.
